wild wales-第90部分

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〃What　do　you　get　a　week？〃

〃Ten　shillings。〃

〃Have　you　not　lately　been　in　London？〃

〃I　have。〃

〃What　induced　you　to　go　to　London？〃

〃The　hope　of　bettering　my　condition。〃

〃Were　you　not　driven　out　of　Machynlleth？〃

〃I　was　not。〃

〃Why　did　you　leave　London？〃

〃Because　I　could　get　no　work；　and　my　wife　did　not　like　the　place。〃

〃Did　you　obtain　possession　of　the　salmon　and　the　spear？〃

〃I　did　not。〃

〃Why　didn't　you？〃

〃The　pool　was　deep　where　the　salmon　was　struck；　and　I　was　not　going　
to　lose　my　life　by　going　into　it。〃

〃How　deep　was　it？〃

〃Over　the　tops　of　the　houses；〃　said　the　fellow；　lifting　up　his　
hands。

The　other　keeper　then　came　forward；　he　was　brother　to　the　former；　
but　had　much　more　the　appearance　of　a　keeper；　being　rather　a　fine　
fellow；　and　dressed　in　a　wholesome；　well…worn　suit　of　velveteen。　　
He　had　no　English；　and　what　he　said　was　translated　by　a　sworn　
interpreter。　　He　gave　the　same　evidence　as　his　brother　about　
watching　behind　the　bush；　and　seeing　the　farmer　strike　a　salmon。　　
When　cross…questioned；　however；　he　said　that　no　words　passed　
between　the　farmer　and　his　brother；　at　least；　that　he　heard。　　The　
evidence　for　the　prosecution　being　given；　my　friend　the　attorney　
entered　upon　the　defence。　　He　said　that　he　hoped　the　court　were　not　
going　to　convict　his　client；　one　of　the　most　respectable　farmers　in　
the　county；　on　the　evidence　of　two　such　fellows　as　the　keepers；　one　
of　whom　was　a　well…known　bad　one；　who　for　his　evil　deeds　had　been　
driven　from　Machynlleth　to　London；　and　from　London　back　again　to　
Machynlleth；　and　the　other；　who　was　his　brother；　a　fellow　not　much　
better；　and　who；　moreover；　could　not　speak　a　word　of　English　…　the　
honest　lawyer　forgetting　no　doubt　that　his　own　client　had　just　as　
little　English　as　the　keeper。　　He　repeated　that　he　hoped　the　court　
would　not　convict　his　respectable　client　on　the　evidence　of　these　
fellows；　more　especially　as　they　flatly　contradicted　each　other　in　
one　material　point；　one　saying　that　words　had　passed　between　the　
farmer　and　himself；　and　the　other　that　no　words　at　all　had　passed；　
and　were　unable　to　corroborate　their　testimony　by　anything　visible　
or　tangible。　　If　his　client　speared　the　salmon　and　then　flung　the　
salmon　with　the　spear　sticking　in　its　body　into　the　pool；　why　
didn't　they　go　into　the　pool　and　recover　the　spear　and　salmon？　　
They　might　have　done　so　with　perfect　safety；　there　being　an　old　
proverb　…　he　need　not　repeat　it　…　which　would　have　secured　them　
from　drowning　had　the　pool　been　not　merely　over　the　tops　of　the　
houses　but　over　the　tops　of　the　steeples。　　But　he　would　waive　all　
the　advantage　which　his　client　derived　from　the　evil　character　of　
the　witnesses；　the　discrepancy　of　their　evidence；　and　their　not　
producing　the　spear　and　salmon　in　court。　　He　would　rest　the　issue　
of　the　affair　with　confidence；　on　one　argument；　on　one　question；　it　
was　this。　　Would　any　man　in　his　senses　…　and　it　was　well　known　that　
his　client　was　a　very　sensible　man　…　spear　a　salmon　not　his　own　
when　he　saw　two　keepers　close　at　hand　watching　him　…　staring　at　
him？　　Here　the　chairman　observed　that　there　was　no　proof　that　he　
saw　them　…　that　they　were　behind　a　bush。　　But　my　friend　the　
attorney　very　properly；　having　the　interest　of　his　client　and　his　
own　character　for　consistency　in　view；　stuck　to　what　he　had　said；　
and　insisted　that　the　farmer　must　have　seen　them；　and　he　went　on　
reiterating　that　he　must　have　seen　them；　notwithstanding　that　
several　magistrates　shook　their　heads。

Just　as　he　was　about　to　sit　down　I　moved　up　behind　him　and　
whispered：　　〃Why　don't　you　mention　the　dog？　　Wouldn't　the　dog　have　
been　likely　to　have　scented　the　fellows　out　even　if　they　had　been　
behind　the　bush？〃

He　looked　at　me　for　a　moment　and　then　said　with　a　kind　of　sigh：　　
〃No；　no！　twenty　dogs　would　be　of　no　use　here。　　It's　no　go　…　I　shall　
leave　the　case　as　it　is。〃

The　court　was　cleared　for　a　time；　and　when　the　audience　were　again　
admitted　Lord　V…　said　that　the　Bench　found　the　prisoner　guilty；　
that　they　had　taken　into　consideration　what　his　counsel　had　said　in　
his　defence；　but　that　they　could　come　to　no　other　conclusion；　more　
especially　as　the　accused　was　known　to　have　been　frequently　guilty　
of　similar　offences。　　They　fined　him　four　pounds；　including　costs。

As　the　people　were　going　out　I　said　to　the　farmer　in　Welsh：　　〃A　bad　
affair　this。〃

〃Drwg　iawn〃　…　very　bad　indeed；　he　replied。

〃Did　these　fellows　speak　truth？〃　said　I。

〃Nage　…　Dim　ond　celwydd〃　…　not　they！　nothing　but　lies。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　I　to　myself；　〃what　an　ill…treated　individual！〃



CHAPTER　LXXIX



Machynlleth　…　Remarkable　Events　…　Ode　to　Glendower　…　Dafydd　Gam　…　
Lawdden's　Hatchet。


MACHYNLLETH；　pronounced　Machuncleth；　is　one　of　the　principal　towns　
of　the　district　which　the　English　call　Montgomeryshire；　and　the　
Welsh　Shire　Trefaldwyn　or　the　Shire　of　Baldwin's　town；　Trefaldwyn　
or　the　town　of　Baldwin　being　the　Welsh　name　for　the　town　which　is　
generally　termed　Montgomery。　　It　is　situated　in　nearly　the　centre　
of　the　valley　of　the　Dyfi；　amidst　pleasant　green　meadows；　having　to　
the　north　the　river；　from　which；　however；　it　is　separated　by　a　
gentle　hill。　　It　possesses　a　stately　church；　parts　of　which　are　of　
considerable　antiquity；　and　one　or　two　good　streets。　　It　is　a　
thoroughly　Welsh　town；　and　the　inhabitants；　who　amount　in　number　to　
about　four　thousand；　speak　the　ancient　British　language　with　
considerable　purity。

Machynlleth　has　been　the　scene　of　remarkable　events；　and　is　
connected　with　remarkable　names；　some　of　which　have　rung　through　
the　world。　　At　Machynlleth；　in　1402；　Owen　Glendower；　after　several　
brilliant　victories　over　the　English；　held　a　parliament　in　a　house　
which　is　yet　to　be　seen　in　the　Eastern　Street；　and　was　formally　
crowned　King　of　Wales；　in　his　retinue　was　the　venerable　bard　Iolo　
Goch；　who；　imagining　that　he　now　saw　the　old　prophecy　fulfilled；　
namely；　that　a　prince　of　the　race　of　Cadwaladr　should　rule　the　
Britons；　after　emancipating　them　from　the　Saxon　yoke；　greeted　the　
chieftain　with　an　ode；　to　the　following　effect：…


〃Here's　the　life　I've　sigh'd　for　long：
Abash'd　is　now　the　Saxon　throng；
And　Britons　have　a　British　lord
Whose　emblem　is　the　conquering　sword；
There's　none　I　trow　but　knows　him　well；
The　hero　of　the　watery　dell；
Owain　of　bloody　spear　in　field；
Owain　his　country's　strongest　shield；
A　sovereign　bright　in　grandeur　drest；
Whose　frown　affrights　the　bravest　breast。
Let　from　the　world　upsoar　on　high
A　voice　of　splendid　prophecy！
All　praise　to　him　who　forth　doth　stand
To　'venge　his　injured　native　land！
Of　him　…　of　him　a　lay　I'll　frame
Shall　bear　through　countless　years　his　name；
In　him　are　blended　portents　three；
Their　glories　blended　sung　shall　be：
There's　Oswain；　meteor　of　the　glen；
The　head　of　princely　generous　men；
Owain　the　lord　of　trenchant　steel；
Who　makes　the　hostile　squadrons　reel；
Owain；　besides；　of　warlike　look；
A　conqueror　who　no　stay　will　brook；
Hail　to　the　lion　leader　gay！
Marshaller　of　Griffith's　war　array；
The　scourger　of　the　flattering　race；
For　them　a　dagger　has　his　face；
Each　traitor　false　he　loves　to　smite；
A　lion　is　he　for　deeds　of　might；
Soon　may　he　tear；　like　lion　grim；
All　the　Lloegrians　limb　from　limb！
May　God　and　Rome's　blest　father　high
Deck　him　in　surest　panoply！
Hail　to　the　valiant　carnager；
Worthy　three　diadems　to　bear！
Hail　to　the　valley's　belted　king！
Hail　to　the　widely　conquering；
The　liberal；　hospitable；　kind；
Trusty　and　keen　as　steel　refined！
Vigorous　of　form　he　nations　bows；
Whilst　from　his　breast…plate　bounty　flows。
Of　Horsa's　seed　on　hill　and　plain
Four　hundred　thousand　he　has　slain。
The　copestone　of　our　nation's　he；
In　him　our　weal；　our　all　we　see；
Though　calm　he　looks　his　plans　when　breeding；
Yet　oaks　he'd　break　his　clans　when　leading。
Hail　to　this　partisan　of　war；
This　bursting　meteor　flaming　far！
Where'er　he　wends；　Saint　Peter　guard　him；
And　may　the　Lord　five　lives　award　him！〃


To　Machynlleth　on　the　occasion　of　the　parliament　came　Dafydd　Gam；　
so　celebrated　in　after　time；　not；　however；　with　the　view　of　
entering　into　the　councils　of　Glendower；　or　of　doing　him　homage；　
but　of　assassinating　him。　　This　man；　whose　surname　Gam　signifies　
crooked；　was　a　petty　chieftain　of　Breconshire。　　He　was　small　of　
stature　and　deformed　in　person；　though　possessed　of　great　strength。　　
He　was　very　sensitive　of　injury；　though　quite　as　alive　to　kindness；　
a　thorough…going　enemy　and　a　thorough…going　friend。　　In　the　earlier　
part　of　his　life　he　had　been　driven　from　his　own　country　for　
killing　a　man；　called　Big　Richard　of　Slwch；　in　the　High　Street　of　
Aber　Honddu　or　Brecon；　and　had　found　refuge　in　England　and　kind　
treatment　in　the　house　of　John　of　Gaunt；　for　whose　son　Henry；　
generally　called　Bolingbroke；　he　formed　one　of　his　violent　
friendships。　　Bolingbroke；　on　becoming　King　Henry　the　Fourth；　not　
only　restored　the　crooked　little　Welshman　to　his　possessions；　but　
gave　him　employments　of　great　trust　and　profit　in　Herefordshire。　　
The　insurrection　of　Glendower　against　Henry　was　quite　sufficient　to　
kindle　against　him　the　deadly　hatred　of　Dafydd；　who　swore　〃by　the　
nails　of　God〃　that　he　would　stab　his　countryman　for　daring　to　rebel　
against　his　friend　King　Henry；　the　son　of　the　man　who　had　received　
him　in　his　house　and　comforted　him　when　his　own　countrymen　were　
threatening　his　destruction。　　He　therefore　went　to　Machynlleth　with　
the　full　intention　of　stabbing　Glendower；　perfectly　indifferent　as　
to　what　might　subsequently　be　his　own　fate。　　Glendower；　however；　
who　had　heard　of　his　threat；　caused　him　to　be　seized　and　conducted　
in　chains　to　a　prison　which　he　had　in　the　mountains　of　Sycharth。　　
Shortly　afterwards；　passing　through　Breconshire　with　his　host；　he　
burnt　Dafydd's　house　…　a　fair　edifice　called　the　Cyrnigwen；　
situated　on　a　hillock　near　the　river　Honddu　…　to　the　ground；　and　
seeing　one　of　Gam's　dependents　gazing　mournfully　on　the　smouldering　
ruins　he　uttered　the　following　taunting　englyn：…


〃Shouldst　thou　a　little　red　man　descry
Asking　about　his　dwelling　fair；
Tell　him　it　under　the　bank　doth　lie；
And　its　brow　the　mark　of　the　coal　doth